Show T I 1 sa ROOST by zone zane grey copyrighted feature XI 1 continued wiping his face jim staggered to the rock and sat down spent an and heaving he sat there his will operating on a whirling mind it was over the thing that had had to come all dead loyal and faithless robbers alike what to do now the girl escape from that hellhole soon to be besieged again he must pack that very hour and ride ride away with her jim oh jim came a cry from the back of the cave helen its all over he called ho arsley she appeared in the opening gone she whispered yes gone and dead 1 I saw you is he dead you bet your life burst out jim his breast oppressed oh help me out he ran to assist her she came sliding out to fall on her knees clasping jim with fierce arms her head fell against him get up he ordered sharply trying to lift her but she was more than a dead weight god bless you oh god bless you she cried the voice was husky strange yet carried the richness and contralto melody that had been one of helens charms dont say that he exclaimed a aghast C hast jim youve saved me she whispered jims jimps hands plucked at her arms caught them she loosened her hold and rals raised her head bead to look up at him he saw only her eyes tearless strained in overwhelming gratitude no not yet he blurted out we must hurry out of this she rose still clinging to tad him forgive me I 1 am selfish we can talk some other time I 1 should have realized you would want to leave here at once tell me what to do I 1 will obey jim stepped back and shook himself you kept me from thinking he began yes we must leave here put on your riding clothes pack this dress you have on and all you have take your time were safe for the present and dont look out ive got to bury hays and the men my spirit faint at that she replied 1 I saw you kill the wretch wr etch and I 1 could help you bury him 1 I w wont ont need you replied jim constrainedly and wheeled away madly he rushed to and fro while he searched the dead robbers to fling their money and valuables in a pile then he dragged them to the brink of the wash and toppled them over action had begun to steady jim if not compose him he shoved all the money into his saddlebag next he packed every one of his shells he might be attacked again in that hiding place then he selected supplies for two packs and filled them not forgetting a few utensils his next move was to strap blankets and saddles on the two gentlest horses those he led back to the cave where he be packed them after that he had only to saddle bay and the gray horse helen had ridden there suddenly he thought of smoky if he had been alone or with another man even a helpless one he would have taken time to find that strange and faithful robber and have given him decent burial but he would not leave the girl while he stood there trying to think what else to do he remembered a sack of grain that hays had packed from star ranch he found it half full and tied it on the lighter pack he hurried back to the girl calling axe are you ready ive been waiting she said and came swiftly out the riders costume brought out the rounded grace of her form she had braided her hair the som brero he remembered shaded her face where are your veil and long coat asked jim seeing her as on that unforgettable day he burned them she answered in a stifled voice get into this and he held his slicker for her it enveloped her dragged on the ground were in for storm rainy season due you must keep dry turning to the gray horse she S mounted ride close beside me where theres room just ahead where theres not he directed her jim tied the halters of the two pack animals to their packs and started them off then he vaulted upon bay the first time for many weeks the horse pranced but steadied down under an iron hand and heel helen looked back as one fascinated cina ted but jim bent stern gaze ahead I 1 v 1 I would destroy this canyon if that were in my power come he said they rode up out of the oval driving the pack horses ahead the rain was now falling heavily on the gravel ridge to the west J jim im saw a dead man lying prone soon they entered the wide shallow wash in the sand of which jim espied footprints filling with water they rode out of tho the tail of the storm and into a widening of the wash where it reached proportions of a small valley scrub cedar and brush and cactus be began bean an to show and patches patch 03 of ers on low sandy knolls they passed the cove where the riders hoists had been left broad and deep was the trail to the south are arc you all right jim queried oh I 1 did not know I 1 could feel rapture again yes I 1 am youre dizzy just the same you you sway in the saddle ride loser closer to me while you can give me your hand dont talk but look look you might see what I 1 do not see they rode at length to a canyon head down which the hoot hoof tracks turned we came this way by night but I 1 remember she said do you dare to follow them we must not but this is the way to star ranch yes on the trail of desperate men and across that dirty devil river these summer rains it will be in flood I 1 would not be able to get you through you know best but just to be free to see my brother bernie berdie it is unbelievable jim wall looked away across the brakes presently he said 1 I will try to find a way out of this hole the country is strange ill be lost soon but somewhere up out of here well find a lovely canyon where there is grass and water I 1 must not run into cattlemen robers are not my only enemies I 1 dont want to be hanged for for saving you hanged oh you frighten me 1 I want to tell you it is no sure thing that I 1 can safely elude the rest of heesemann Hee semans outfit if I 1 try to get out through the brakes be far safer to hide you a while south of here out of the way of riders take me where you think best she said tremulously when you get out you must go home to england 1 I have no home in england bernie is my only kin except very distant relatives who hate hale the n name fen of herrick then go to a country as different from this naked stony wilderness as day from night where it snows in winter and in spring there are flowers birds apple blossoms no 1 I 1 shall not leave she replied positively A flash of joy leaped up in jim at her words but he had bad no answer for her he led on away from that broad fresh trail into an unknown region and it seemed that this point of severance had an inscrutable parallel in the tumult within his heart the sun set in an overshadowed sky and storm threatened all around the horizon far north the thunder rolled and to the south faint mutterings rings arose jim could not nold hold to a straight course he wandered where the lay of the land permitted rising white and red ground with the mounds UL of rock falling and green swales between appeared endless and forlorn he began to look for a place to camp at last as twilight darkened the distant washes and appeared creeping up out of them jim came to another little valley where scant grass gr grew ew and dead cedars stood up spectral ghosts of drought and on the west side a low ridge offered shelter he led over to this and dismounting said they would camp there her reply was a stifled gasp and es saying to get out of her saddle she fell into his bis arms CHAPTER X an to jim wall it seemed a miracle that he did not snatch helen to lis his breast like a wind driven prairie fire his bis blood raced he set her upright on the ground can you stand he inquired she essayed to and letting go of him plainly betrayed her spent condition jim helped her into the be shallow hollow under the rock in the quarter hour before dusk he ie had unpacked hobbled and fed the horses built a fire and put water on to boil he carried his bed under the shelf and unrolled it changed the tarpaulin so that it could be pulled up in case rain beat in the fire sent a ruddy light into the cavern and all at once jim discovered that the girl was watching him are arc we safe here she asked god only knows I 1 think so I 1 hope so its a lonely desert our enemies have gone the other way they know they nearly wiped out hays and try again with reinforcements they know hays had a fortune in cash and you to his concern and discomfiture she ate very little she tried only to fall but she did drink her coffee pick up he said hopefully sleep though is more necessary than food jim I 1 cant pull off my boots she said later please help me she was sitting on the bed when jim took hold of the boot she elevated look to see if you have any blisters he said ill bathe your feet in a little cold water and salt bringing a pan of water he knelt before her dont stand on ceremony helen stick out your foot she put out her small feet jim lost no time in pressing them down into the cold salt water then he rubbed her feet until they were red put your stockings back backo on nand and sleep in your clothes he said before you crawl in ill brin bring 9 a hot stone Oo she stretched out with a slow final movement and pulled the blankets up under her chin almost almont instantly she fell asleep with the flickering firelight upon her face jim walked out to find the horses close to camp and making out fairly well on the gross grass he patrolled his heat beat between betm cen the flickering fire and the sleeping girl heedless of the rain sleepless for hours on guard and after that when he slept it was with one eye open toward dawn he got up and rolled his bed the air was raw and cold blowing a fine rain in his face by the time breakfast was cooking daylight had broken finding a thin flat rock jim placed helens breakfast upon it and carried it to her bedside then he called her ive brought some food and strong coffee he said jim repaired to his own breakfast after which he wrapped up biscuits and meat to take on the days ride j she pulled on her boots and crawling out and straightening up with slow painful effort she asked for a little hot water jim fetched etched it free then to pack jim applied himself with swift methodical hands she mounted unassisted jim helped her into the long slicker be a tough day he went on but were starting dry hang on as long as you can we absolutely must get out of these brakes with that he lined up the pack animals and they were off jim traveled as best he could keeping to no single direction though the trend was northerly and following ground that appeared passable the pack horses led ed he followed them and helen brought up the rear the rain fell all morning and let up at intervals then black clouds gathered and a storm with thunder and lightning burst upon them water ran in shoots off the rocks at length the fugitives came to a veritable river at which the lead horse balked bay however did not show any qualms so he put day bay to the task the big horse made it easily with water coming up to his flanks whereupon jim rode him back after which the pack horses intelligent and sensible essayed the ford then jim returned for helen ill carry you while you hang on to your bridle said jim rid ing close to the gray he had to lift her sheer off her horse and around in front of him where he upheld her with his left arm they made it with the splendid horse staggering out under his double burden just in the nick of time you are doing fine we have come eighteen or twenty miles but I 1 dont like the look ahead when once more they were on the way jim gave her a biscuit and a strip of meat eat the rain will be on us soon late in the afternoon there was a momentary brightening of massed clouds in the west they rode down out of these low gravel hills bills that had limited their sight into a lo 10 long ng green winding valley A red river surely the dirty devil ran ridged and frothy under a steep wall of earth 1 I cant hang on longer faltered helen faintly til rh carry you why you tell me sooner reproved jim he knotted her reins and dropped the loop over the pommel of her saddle then lie he lifted her off her horse on to his so jim rode on aware that her collapse and the terrible nature of the desert and another storm at hand were wearing away even his indomitable spirit ragged red bluff stood up all along his right with acres of loose rock ready to slide they swung in behind the bluff and then out again to the higher and narrower bank upon which the old trail passed around the coiner whoa bay called jim hauling up tip to wait for the gray 1 I dont like this place dont look helen As she made no reply jim leaned back to get a glimpse of her face asleep come on gray he called to the horse behind and to bay steady old fellow if that narrows round there you want to step sure it did narrow eight feet six feet less bits of the steep bank were crumbling away but the pack horses had gone round it would not be safe to try to turn now suddenly jim encountered a still narrower point scarcely five feet wide vide the edge had bad freshly crumbled it was crumbling now bay stepped carefully confidently he knew horses with wide packs had safely passed there he went on jim felt him sink one hind foot had crushed out a section of earth letting him down but with a snort he plunged ahead to wider trail jims heart had bad leaped to his throat he heard thud of hoofs behind a heavy sliddery rumble looking back he saw the gray horse leap from a section of wall beginning to gap outwards to solid ground ahead next instant six feet of the trail close up to the bluff slid down in an avalanche close shave for us all cried jim huskily right at his feet a red torrent rushed with a wrestling clashing sound from out a deep walled gorge of splintered rocking walls valls this was a tributary a vicious child of the hideous dirty devil it barred jims progress thirty paces to the fore on the widest part of the bank stood the pack horses jim forced his startled gaze to the rear no rider would ever come or go that way again jim dismounted carefully with helen and stooping as he be moved under the leaning rock he set her down on dry dust Is it the end for us he did not answer folding the slicker into a pillow he laid her head back upon it scrambling up he removed the saddle arzi from bay and dropped it under the shelter then leading the horse he stepped forward to where the gray and the pack animals had halted the instinct of the horses had guided them to halt behind the only safe spot on the unsafe bank jim removed weir their packs leaving the saddles on without hesitation he poured out all of the grain about two quarts tor for each horse lastly be e jammed the packs under the edge of the boulders and left the horses free to take care of themselves he dreaded the coming hours the night the he knew not what jim removed his slicker and folded it into a long pad As he crept closer the girl stirred again and spoke he thought she asked if he was there he placed the slicker in the best available place and covered that with the drier of the two saddle blankets he pulled the saddle closer then he lifted the girl over his lap and covered her with the dry blanket he leaned back against the stone with her head on his shoulder and his arm supporting her it was not only that he wanted to keep her dry and warm he had to have her in his arms while he waited or the nameless terror he antici this was the climax of the torm that had been gathering for days out upon the level desert t would have been serious for travelers here in this gorge it was a maelstrom jim did not e expect to live to hear it pass away yet he did and then began the aftermath of a flood let loose upon such unstable earth the waterfall gradually rose to a thundering continuous crash it dominated for a while until the thousand streams from above poured over the rims to deaden all to completely deafen jim A sheet of water sliding over the rock hid the opaque black ness from jims eyes any moment now a flood would rise over the bank and when it did jim meant to climb higher with the girl to front the hurtling rocks and slipping sides and fight till |